CENTRAL FOOD TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, MYSORE – 570 020 FRUIT SQUASHES AND SYRUPS INTRODUCTION Fruit beverages are relished very much when served in chilled condition especially during summer, which are nutritious and healthy. Fruit squashes, crushes, cordials and syrups are popular class of fruit products, which are convenient to use. Squashes like orange squash, mango squash, lime squash, Pineapple squash, grape squash, etc., are very popular. Among syrups, sarasaparilla syrup, ginger-amla, roovaafsa” are well known. Lemon juice cordial is also popular. The demand for squashes and syrups goes up in summer and in winter it will be very less. Orange squash, mango squash, etc., will find a reasonably good market all-round the year for their nutritional quality. RAW MATERIAL In India, a variety of tropical, sub tropical and temperate fruits are grown. Mango, pineapple, guava, oranges, litchi, acid limes, passion fruit, palsa, etc., are popular. All these fruits can be used for pulp/juice extraction (including clarified juice) and can be converted to squashes and syrup. Pomegranate, cashew apple and jack fruit can also be made into squash. Herbal-roots and flowers can also be extracted to prepare syrups. For example syrups based on ginger, sarasaparilla, rose petals, sorrel leaves, etc. Careful selection of the raw materials at the optimum maturity and ripeness is very important. Processing and storage of the pulps, juices extracts are also to be done on good manufacturing lines. Other raw materials needed are sugar, citric acid, colours, flavours and permitted class-II preservatives. All these materials are indigenously available. Packaging materials like bottles, Caps and CFB boxes are available easily. PLANTS AND MACHINERY Principal equipments: Pulper fruit mill, screw extractor, SS Steam jacketed), kettles, bottling filling machine, capping machine, etc Auxiliary equipments: Boiler, weighing scales, working tables, vessels, knives, paddles, funnels, etc. PROJECT COST – FIXED COST – WORKING CAPITAL (in Rs.‘000) (Estimate for a model project) a) Land & Land development (1500 m2) 150.00 b) Building & civil construction (300 m2) 270.00 c) Plant and machinery 650.00 d) Miscellaneous fixed assets 75.00 e) Pre-operative expenses 75.00 Total Fixed Capital 1220.00 Working capital margin 237.00 Total Project cost 1457.00 Means of Finance - Promoter’s contribution 542.00 - Term loan 915.00 PRODUCTION CAPACITY - (estimate) a. Installed capacity : 1200 Bottles (700 ml i.e., 900 g) b. No. of Working Days : 150 c. Optimum capacity utilization : 70% .